1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording apparatus for use in a facsimile apparatus, a printer or the like, and more particularly to a recording apparatus in which the number of parts can be decreased to thereby achieve a reduction in cost.
2. Related Background Art
A facsimile apparatus comprises an original reading system and a recording system. The original reading system conveys an original by original conveying rollers and read information written on the original by an optical system, and converts the read information into an electrical signal and transmits it. The recording system, upon reception of the electrical signal, conveys a recording sheet by a platen roller and effects recording conforming to an image signal by a recording head, and cuts the sheet after recording by a cutter and discharges the cut sheet. The original conveying rollers are driven by a reading motor, the platen roller is driven by a recording motor, and the cutter is driven by driving the reading motor in a reverse direction.
In facsimile apparatuses now, compactness and low prices are desired and the utmost decrease in the number of parts is required.
For the requirement for the decrease in the number of parts, in a construction wherein the cutter is driven by the reading motor as in the prior art, the location at which the reading system is provided and the location at which the cutter is provided are distant from each other and therefore, numerous drive force transmitting members have been required for transmitting the drive force of the reading motor. In contrast, if the cutter can be driven by the recording motor provided near the cutter, it will become possible to decrease the number of drive force transmitting members.
However, it is necessary that the recording motor drive the platen roller in forward and reverse directions by forward and reverse driving. That is, the platen roller is rotated in the forward direction to thereby convey the recording sheet in the recording direction, and after the recording sheet is cut by the cutter, the platen roller is rotated in the reverse direction to return the cut end of the sheet to a recording position. Thus, if an attempt is made to drive the cutter by the reverse driving of the recording motor, the driving of the cutter and the return conveyance of the recording sheet will be effected at a time and the control of the operation timing thereof will become complicated.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-12198 shows an example in which the cutter is driven by the reverse rotation of the recording motor. However, in order that the return operation of the recording sheet may not be performed during the cutting by the cutter, it is necessary that the recording motor and the platen roller be connected together through an electromagnetic clutch and the electromagnetic clutch be ON-OFF-controlled in timed relationship with the cutting operation during the reverse rotation of the recording motor, and this has led to the complication of a control system.